
Written by Editorial Team
Loose motion is nature’s method of flushing out of impurities and infection from your body. But loose motion (Diarrhea) in children can be a very difficult time for both children and parents, even though usually in most cases it will get cured in two or three days.
Because, unlike a cough and cold, when your child is affected with loose motion, your child will become weaker and tired due to dehydration. And the bad news is that children tend to get loose motions more often than adults.
You can suspect your child has loose motion or diarrhea if he possesses the following symptoms:
If not taken seriously, even otherwise, harmless loose motions can turn to be dangerous due to the possible dehydration. Dehydration is the excessive loss of body fluids – water and salt – from the body.
Heavy loss of body fluid can prove to be life-threatening in the case of children. So watch closely for the symptoms of dehydration even if you feel that you are giving your child proper fluid intake.
These are the symptoms that your child shows if he is undergoing dehydration:
There are numerous reasons for your child to catch loose motions. It ranges from changes in food habits to severe intestinal infections.
If your baby is under antibiotic medication, there is a chance of them having loose motion. This is because antibiotic medicines kill the good bacteria in the intestine along with the bacteria that caused ill health. This results in loose motion.
Once your child starts to roam around their own, they tend to lick or bite each and everything that attracts their attention. Different infectious microorganisms that dwell on these things increase the chances of infection that may lead to loose motion.
It is found that in small children, the transition in the season (such as summer to rain or rainy to winter) triggers loose motion.
Following are some of the ways loose motion in children is treated:
Probiotics are good bacteria. Taking probiotics helps to replace infectious bacteria with healthy bacteria. Yogurt is an easily available source of probiotics. Give your child 60-180ml of yogurt twice a day.
Clear fluids can’t meet the calorie needs of your child’s body. So encourage them to drink milk. If you still breastfeed your baby, then continue with it as it is a well-balanced food to consume during diarrhea.
Note*: Never give cow’s milk or buffalo milk to your baby during this time.
Whether the loose motion (diarrhea) in children is contagious depends upon the reasons behind the loose motion. If it is merely an outcome of some food intake, it is not contagious. On the other hand, if the loose motion is due to infections caused by microorganisms, it is highly contagious.
Loose motion can be spread through direct contact with things or surfaces that are contaminated with infectious germs. Therefore, toys, furniture, toilet seats, etc., are good agents of infectious germs. Touching these things and then putting the hand into the mouth will result in the spreading of germs among the children.
If you cook without properly cleaning your hands after taking care of your child, it will result in spreading this infection to other members of the family.
You can’t always prevent diarrhea 100% as it is highly contagious. But the following precautionary methods can help to reduce your child’s risk of getting this infection once there is an outbreak of this infection.
Following are some instances that necessitate medical attention if the child contracts diarrhea:
In usual cases, with enough fluid intake and proper rest, loose motion (diarrhea) in children slowly subsides in two or three days. If your child doesn’t show any sign of improvement after a day and also if the symptoms mentioned below show up, then we advise you to seek medical attention.
Ensure your baby is well hydrated when they are suffering from diarrhea. Give them fresh fruits. Fruits like bananas, oranges and kiwis.
No, it is not advisable. Doctors advise stopping dairy products until the diarrhea is under control. Dairy can worsen the situation.
It is best to avoid. Raw vegetables might carry some bacteria in them. When a baby is already suffering, it’s best to give them well cooked food.
Only if the diarrhea is bad. Otherwise you can keep hydrating your child and give some simple medicines given by your doctor. If you suspect your baby is getting very weak, do go to a hospital.
Read Also: Gallstones In Children – Everything You Need To Know
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